Adjustable continuous spiral guide for containers



Jan. 15, 1957 1.. E. RUSSELL ADJUSTABLE CONTINUOUS SPIRAL GUIDE FOR CONTAINERS v s Shets-Sheet 1 Filed 001:. 14, 1953 INVENTOR- [.E'Ruasell I ATTORNEY Jan. 15, 1957 E. RUSSELL 2,777,567

ADJUSTABLE CONTINUOUS SPIRAL GUIDE-FOR CONTAINERS Filed OCT 14, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR R usse ZZ Ill a Jan, 15, 1957 1.. E. RUSSELL 2,777,567

ADJUSTABLE CONTINUOUS SPIRAL GUIDE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 14, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 326 ii Z5 5 l E Zz Z /7 f 5 /6 /5 /4' E Q $5 E E INVENTOR I 7 LE1 Z2559ZZ- United States Patent ADJUSTABLE C(INTINUDUS SPIRAL GUIDE FOR CONTAINERS Lee E. Russell, Plant City, Fla.

Application October 14, 1953, Serial No. 385,910

7 Claims. -(Ci. 198-211) This invention relates to an improved adjustable spiral guide for use in various machines employed in handling or processing containers and more particularly the contents thereof and whereby the containers are caused to travel from an entrance end to an exit end of a machine.

For many years in the processing of various foods, for example in cooking, sterilizing, cooling and freezing, it has been a conventional practice to convey the foods in their containers, usually cans, from end-to-end of the machine by means of a spiral guide in which the cans travel while supported in holder members which are secured to the periphery of a reel or drum and in which holder members the cans or containers are slid length wise from end-.to-end of the drum during their travel through the spiral guide. However, such machines are only capable of accommodating cans or containers of a predetermined size so that different machines were required to handle cans of different sizes thereby materially increasing the processors expense for necessary available equipment and the amount of space required.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an adjustable spiral which may be readily adjusted for accommodating cans .or containers of different lengths to thereby adapt each machine to a more versatile use.

Another object of the invention is to provide additional adapter means in cooperation with the continuous adjustable spiral for accommodating cans or containers of different diameters.

Various other objects and advantages of .the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary end elevational view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view of a portion thereof;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view partly in elevation of a portion .of the machine;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a part of the machine;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially along .a plane as indicated 'by the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the central portion of. one end of the machine;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 7-7 of Figure 3, and

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the, numeral 19 designates generally a conventional typecf processing machine for canned food and which maybe employed either for cooking, sterilizing, cooling or freezing the contents of cans while in transit therethrough, a

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portion only of the conventional part .of the machine being illustrated. Themachine 10 includes an elongated cylindrical tank or housing 11 having outwardly bowed end walls 12 in each of which is mounted a centrally-disposed :shaft housing 13, as seen in Figure 6. Each end wall 12 and its shaft housing 13 is reinforced and braced by a plurality .of radially extending ribs 14. The-shaft housings 13 support and journal the end portions of a central reel or drum supporting shaft 15 the end portions of which are journa'led in bearings 16 which are mounted externally of the end'walls 12 in bearing supporting .caps 17, with which the outer ends of the shaft housing 13 communicate, ,andwhich accommodate packing glands :18 of packing 19 for 'the end portions of the shaft 15.

The reel or drum, designated generally 20, includes a plurality of longitudinally and circumferentially spaced spokes 21-which-arefixedto and'project radially from the shaft 15 between the shaft housing 13, and an open work periphery 22 which is disposed around and secured :to the outer ends of the spokes The reel periphery 22 2c);- tend-s '10 adjacent the ends 12 of the housing 11 andis provided on its :outer side with circumferentially spaced angle members 23, each of which extends from endetoend thereof and each of which includes a flange or side 24 which is secured to the outer side of the reel :periph'ery 22 and an outwardly extending flange 10.: wall 25 which extends radially outward from the cylindrical periphery 22. The radial walls 25 are disposed at corresponding edges of .the walls ,24, as illustrated inFigures .1 and 5. The parts previously described are all of conventional construction and have been illustrated and briefly described merely to. afford a better understanding ,of the novel :parts cnnstituting the invention and hereinafter to be described. Furthermore, it will be understood that much of :the construction :of the conventional machine which forms no ipflIt' Qf the invention :has been omitted, as for example the means for applying the ,cans or containers to1thejangle members Hand/the means for-removing the cans :or containers therefrom, and the means for driving the reel 20.

The invention here involved includes a plurality of elongated stationary spiral supporting members 26 which are disposed within ,the cylindrical wall portion :of :the tank 11 and longitudinally thereof. The supportingrmem bers 26. are disposed in-circurnferentially spaced relationship relatively to one another, as illustrated :in l ligure 1, and are each supported by a plurality of nut and .bolt fasteningsyZT, the bolts .of which are connected to .the mernhers'26 and extend outwardly through the cylindrical wall ofthe tank. 1 1 and the nutsbf which-engage-the bolts on the outerside of the cylindrical. tank wall. The supporting members 26 are herein illustrated as being-of channel shape cross section and arranged to open .inwardly, but could lbeof-other crosssectional shapes.

The invention also includes a plurality of movable supporting members 23. The supporting members :23 are likewise illustrated as beingcf channel shape cross sea tion but .could be of other cross sectional shapes. The movable supporting members 28 likewise extend longi tudinally withinthe cylindrical wall of the-tank 1-1- and; are circumferentially spaced from .oneanother andinter posed between the stationary supportingmembers .26 and are shown arranged-with the channels thereof openinginwardly. Referring to Figures 3. .7 and 8, each movable supporting member '28 has :a nut- 29 secured in each :endthereof by means of a pair of screwfastenings 30. Each supporting. memberv 23 is disposed. between a pair. .of tubular members -31- Whioh extendthrou'gh and are secured in the-endwalls as by means of welding'g-as seen at 32., Each tubular member 31*has 'an' inne'r' end wall as through a central opening -s4-or-wuica-tne-snanu of a headed screw 35 loosely extends. The heads of the screws 35 are disposed within the tubular members 31 and are incapable of passing through the openings 34. The opposite outer ends of the tubular members 31 are open and externally threaded as seen at 36. Said externally threaded open ends are normally closed by threaded caps 37. The screws 35 extend threadedly through the nuts 29.

The supporting members 26 and 28 support a continuous spiral guide, designated generally 38, of inwardly opening channel shape cross section formed of spiral sections 3% and 40, each of which is preferably formed of angle iron, and each of which includes a corresponding number of convolutions. The continuous spiral guide 38 extends substantially from end-to-end of the reel 26 and the spiral section 39 thereof is secured, as by welding, as indicated at 41, to each of the stationary supporting members 26 at a plurality of longitudinally spaced points. The section 49 of the continuous spiral guide is connected to each of the movable supports 28, likewise at a plurality of longitudinally spaced points by any suitable means such as welding, as seen at 41. it will thus be seen that the stationary supports 26 supports the spiral guide section 39 which constitutes a stationary spiral guide section which in turn partially supports the movable supports 28 which have sliding engagement therewith and said movable supports 28 in turn support the spiral guide section 40 which constitutes the movable guide section. 7 iv One movable support designated generally 28:: has been illustrated wherein the channel thereof is inverted to provide a greater contacting surface for the stationary spiral section 39 and movable spiral section 46. Obviously, if desired, the movable supports 28 and the stationary supports 26 could be inverted in the same manner if desired. Likewise, as illustrated in Figure 4, the movable support 28a is not attached to a pair of screws 35 to illustrate that one or more of the movable supports 28 could be thus constructed since four of said supports 28 equipped with the adjusting screws 35 would be adequate. The drawings illustrate eight stationary and eight movable supports but a fewer number of each could be provided.

Figures 3 and 4 show the continuous spiral channel 38 opened to its maximum width for accommodating cans or cylindrical containers 42 of a maximum length and it will be readily apparent that by removing the caps 37 and loosening the adjusting screws 35 at the right-hand end of the machine and thereafter tightenig the adjusting screws 35 at the left-hand end of the machine 10 thatthe movable supports 28 may be displaced longitudinally from right to left of Figures 3 and 4 for displacing the convolutions of the movable spiral section 40 from right to left toward the stationary spiral section 39 to reduce the width of the spiral guide 38 for accommodating cans or containers 42 of a reduced length. It will be obvious that the ends of the containers 42 fit between inwardly extending flanges of the guide sections 39 and 40, the section 39 of each convolution being disposed to the left of the section 40 thereof, as illustrated in Figure 4, the inwardly extending flanges of the coacting spiral guide sections being located at the remote edges of said sections. While the guide sections 39 and 40 have been illustrated as being formed of angle iron to afford an adequate surface for attachment to the support members 26 and 28, the flanges thereof which are disposed concentrically around the drum periphery 22 are not essential but assist in providing an outer channel surface in which the cans or containers 42 may ride for retaining the cans in engagement with the angular propelling members 23 of the reel 20.

It will thus be apparent that the adjustable spiral guide 38 adapts the machine 10 to the processing of cans or containers of different lengths without changing the normal operation of the machine whereby as the reel 20 is revolved the cans or containers 42 in traveling around the convolutions of the spiral guide 38 will move from end-to-end of the reel 20, from right to left thereof as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, assuming that the reel is rotating counterclockwise as seen in Figure 1.

Additionally, as cans or containers 42 which vary in length usually vary in diameter, the invention also includes angular inserts 43, as illustrated in Figure 2, which fit detachably in the can holding and conveying angle members 23 and which are provided with threaded openings 44 in the base portions thereof to register with larger unthreaded openings 45 of the base portions 24 for receiving screw fastenings 46 by which said adapter inserts 43 are secured in positions as illustrated in Figure 2, for retaining cans of small diameter in proper engagement with the spiral guide 38. Obviously, the thickness of the adapters 43 may vary for cans of different diameters, and it will be apparent that said adapters 43 in combination with the adjustable spiral guide 38 will produce a machine having a maximum versatility for handling cans or circular containers of a wide varietyof diameters and lengths, reducing to a minimum the numberof machines required for handling different sized cylindrical cans or containers.

It will likewise be readily apparent that the invention is equally well adapted to other processing machines where similar cans or containers are conveyed in a like manner through a tank or chamber of the machine for any type of processing including or in addition to cooking, sterilizing, cooling and freezing.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and mayo viously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims. a

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with an elongated driven reel having circumferentially spaced container supporting members disposed around the periphery of the reel and each extending substantially from end-to-end thereof,-

and a casing surrounding and rotatably supporting said reel; of an adjustable continuous spiral guide spirally wound within said casing around the reel including a stationary section and a movable section, said guide sections each including a spiral flange extending from end-to-end thereof and disposed perpendicular to the periphery of the reel and between. which flanges containers disposed in said supporting members of. the reel are adapted to fit for movement longitudinally of the reel as the containers travel around said spiral guide, means connected to the casing and to spaced portions of the stationary spiral guide section for supporting said stationary section immovably relatively to the casing, and a second means adjustably connected to the casing I and secured to the movable spiral guide section and actuated for uniformly moving the convolutions of said movable spiral guide section toward and away from the complementary convolutions of the stationary spiral guide section for varying the width of the spiral guide convolutions to accommodate the machine to containers of dif ferent sizes. 7

2. In a machine as in claim 1, said first mentioned means comprising a plurality of bars disposed in circumferentially spaced relationship to one another around the spiral guide and rigidly secured to the casing, said bars being each rigidly secured to each convolution of the stationary spiral guide section.

3. A machine as in claim 1, said second means comprising a plurality of bars disposed lengthwise of the reel in circumferentially spaced relationship to one another around said spiral guide, each of said bars being rigidly secured to each convolution of the movable spiral guide section and slidably engaging the convolutions of the stationary spiral guide section, and feed screw means turnably mounted in end walls of the casing and threadedly engaging the ends of said bars for moving said bars and the adjustable spiral guide section longitudinally of the casing and reel.

4. In a machine as in claim 3, said first mentioned means comprising a plurality of bars disposed in circumferentially spaced relationship to one another around the spiral guide and rigidly secured to the casing, said stationary bars being each rigidly secured to each convolution of the stationary spiral guide section, said stationary bars having sliding engagement with the convolutions of the movable spiral guide section and cooperating with the stationary spiral guide section and said adjusting screw means for supporting the movable bars.

5. A machine as in claim 1, said spiral guide sections being formed of angle iron of which said aforementioned flanges each constitute a side, and the other flanges of said angle irons extending toward one another and being disposed between said first mentioned fianges.

6. In a machine as in claim 1, said container supporting members comprising angle members each having a side disposed against and secured to the reel periphery and a second side projecting radially from the reel periphery, adapters comprising angle members fitting into said container supporting members, and means detachably securing said adapters in the container supporting members for cooperation with said adjustable spiral guide to accommodate containers of difierent cross sectional sizes and lengths.

7. A machine of the character described comprising a driven rotary reel, a casing enclosing and rotatably supporting said reel, a plurality of container supporting members secured around the reel periphery in circumferentially spaced relationship to one another and extending longitudinally of the reel, a continuous spiral guide spirally wound concentrically around said reel and within said casing having spaced flanges disposed perpendicular to the reel periphery and defining laterally spaced sides of the convolutions of the spiral guide between which are adapted to be disposed portions of containers mounted in said container supporting members for movement of the containers longitudinally of the container supporting members as the reel is revolved, said spiral guide being formed of a stationary section and a movable section each including one of said flanges, a fixed supporting means connected to the stationary spiral guide section and secured to the casing, and an adjustable supporting means fixed to the movable spiral guide section and adjustably connected to the casing for displacement of the movable spiral guide section longitudinally of the reel and casing to vary the spacing between the flanges of the spiral guide sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,567,096 Berrar Sept. 4, 1951 

